Rebecca Callaghan’s pregnancy in 2012 was a difficult one, and because of excess fluid around the fetus, doctors decided to induce labor early.
No one realized anything was wrong with little Matilda until about half an hour after she was born.
When she arrived, she had a large blue mark on her face that stretched down one side of her body. At first, doctors assumed it was just a bruise — then they realized their mistake.
Just 30 minutes later, they told the parents it was actually a birthmark.
Two weeks after her birth, Matilda was diagnosed with Sturge Weber syndrome, a very rare neurological skin disorder that can also cause paralysis, learning difficulties, and seizures.
Matilda quickly became so ill that she was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, England.
In just a few days, the parents’ joy had turned into overwhelming fear. They didn’t know if they would ever see their daughter alive again.
Matilda also began laser treatments to remove her unusual birthmark, though it could take up to 16 years before it is fully gone.
“She has treatment every couple of months, and the laser does make it look more red and angry, and her face is covered with blobs afterward, which then gradually fade away again,” Matilda’s dad Paul told The Daily Mail in 2016. He added:
“People think we are bad parents — that we have somehow caused Matilda to look like she does.”
Despite the regular and painful laser treatments, Matilda was a very happy little girl.
But many people stared at her birthmark. Some even asked Paul and Rebecca if they had left their daughter too close to a radiator and let her get burned.
Paul, Matilda’s father, said: “They just see what is in front of them and jump to hurtful conclusions. I wish they could see past the birthmark and see what a wonderful little angel she is.”
Beyond the birthmark on her face, the disease has also left Matilda almost blind.
She also can’t walk, but thanks to a special walking frame, she has been able to take a few steps on her own.
Matilda’s entire life has been a fight, but despite everything, she has a smile for everyone she meets. Her dad says she’s a headstrong little girl — it’s either her way or no way at all.
Every day, the family endures stares, insults, and even outright mockery.
“Despite everything she has been through, she has a smile for everyone. She’s doing fantastically well,” her father said.
“We are unbelievably proud of Matilda, she is just amazing — we just live every day as a bonus.”
In June 2019, the family posted what appears to be a recent photo of Matilda in her wheelchair.
The crowdfunding page was seeking to raise $6,300 to help purchase a new wheelchair.
“We are fundraising to provide her with a new chair so that she may continue to do the thing she loves the most — spending time outside and away from roads and crowds,” the page states.
According to the page, the child’s grandfather recently passed away.
Please help SHARE Matilda’s story so more people can support this brave little girl and help her get the new wheelchair she needs to continue living her life in the best way possible!
